Psalm 31:14Psalm 31:14
English: World English Bible - WEB
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”

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One day I was called by a friend. His wife had passed away suddenly the night before of an aneurism. I was the only Pastor he knew.  Even though he had never attended the Church where I pastored, he trusted me enough to ask me to conduct the funeral.

Heidi and I drove to this little community to meet the family.  Amidst all the sadness, there was anger at God for allowing this young women to die. The request was that I conduct a funeral without God.

I don’t do those kind of funerals.

I hardly need to say that the funeral was very sad. I led in the way that I knew best and extended the comfort of Jesus Christ even though the audience seemed to have no sense that he was there. The day ended with me helping the family bury the urn at the local cemetery.

No one expected what was to come next. In fact it is unthinkable to this day.

About mid-day, I received a phone call from one of the sisters.  She was sobbing so very deeply. That very morning her Dad had dropped dead of a heart attack.  When the police went to tell his wife, she too dropped dead of a heart attack. 

Between the sobs the lady on the phone told me that several family members had allowed God into their lives and thought the parents should be open to thinking the same. The news had only deepened the father’s anger toward God.

I was asked to do this double funeral.

When I arrived on the day of the funeral, the high school gymnasium was already filled to capacity. A  family representative saw me and asked that I come quickly to band room. “The family wants you to pray for them.”  When I walked into that room, the entire family stood. Many where crying. 

Jesus was in that room and everyone knew it. He was meeting each person where they were at.  I began to speak with Jesus as one standing among us.  Jesus opened eyes, mended broken hearts and began to bring a new hope. I saw this happen. I saw God come among us and answered prayer as we spoke them.

Ps 31:14Ps 31:14
English: World English Bible - WEB
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”

WP-Bible plugin">Psalm 31:14Psalm 31:14
English: World English Bible - WEB
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”

WP-Bible plugin
But I trust in you, Oh Lord! I declare, “You are my God!”

Prayer happens where you are.  You speak to him as though he is sitting beside you.  He is your friend. He does care for you.  You can trust him.

“Dear Jesus, I know you are God and today you are my God. I will trust in you. Forgive me for not always acknowledging you.  You know my thoughts and everything in my heart.  Please heal my thoughts so that I may see your ways clearly.  Amen.

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Matthew 6

There have been many times that I have thought that my prayers went no further than the strength of my voice.  I had a desperate need and God was not coming to my rescue.

My friend’s sister died suddenly a few nights back. She was 30 years old and had a little girl of her own.  Friends of my family have a baby girl that is a hemophiliac.  She’s was rushed to the hospital the other day and is in a constant dangerous situation.  My granddaughter is a diabetic and her parents have struggled financially during our recession.   That’s just a starter for my list and I’ve not even mentioned myself.

I’m sure your list is as long or longer.  Does God hear me when I pray?

Today I “Googled” that same question and then scrolled through 40 pages that applied perfectly with my search.  I went on some of the Forums that were asking that question and I read through the comments of many.

While reading through the Forum comments I came across one person’s summation that in order for God to hear your prayers you needed to sacrifice a goat.  He even found an Old Testament passage for it.

My guess is that this is your question as well.  First, don’t sacrifice a goat.

I do know that God hears me when I pray. I know it because the Bible says so and because I have seen the reality of it for myself.

Jesus told us to pray and even told us how we are supposed to pray. You can read that portion for yourself in Matthew 6.

In the next few weeks I will begin sending some posts about prayer and how you can know that God hears you when you pray.  Do you know of Facebook friends that could benefit?  Invite them to join our group.

Until then, I’ve opened a forum on this topic at http://www.gerrypeters.com/study/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=143&func=view&catid=5&id=29

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#5 in a series on THE 7 CHURCHES
Revelation 3:1-6Revelation 3:1-6
English: World English Bible - WEB
3 ¹ “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says these things: “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ² Wake up, and keep the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God. ³ Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you. ⁴ Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. ⁶ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

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I have attended a minimum of 8000 Church Services in my lifetime. I have visited most every denomination you can name and observed every imaginable form of worship. I’ve been in the most lavish cathedrals & the simplest facilities.

In too many of the Churches, Jesus Christ would echo his own words in the 1st verse, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” They had the appearance of being alive, all the actions to go with it, they may even have appeared to be excited, yet they were dead.

To these Churches Jesus says, “Wake Up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die”… There was still a flicker of their faith to be noticed. The gospel testimony in the town was about to die. It’s possible to have Christians in a community but no testimony. What’s needed is revival.

(more…)

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